1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to medical aids for the invalid and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method allowing one person to transfer a patient between beds.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In hospitals it is frequently necessary to transfer a patient from one bed to another under circumstances where the patient is unable to assist in the transfer. A common example of this situation is the transfer of a patient from a wheeled stretcher to a hospital bed following surgery. Presently, the transfer is made by supporting the patient on a drawsheet. A drawsheet is a folded sheet extending from one side of the bed to the other and having a length substantially less than the height of the patient. The patient is placed on top of the drawsheet, and several hospital workers grasp both sides of the drawsheet and lift the patient from one bed to the other. Another conventional method of transferring a patient from one bed to another is for several hospital workers to place their arms underneath the patient and lift the patient from one bed to the other. Both of these aforementioned practices have two major disadvantages. First, the transfer requires the assistance of more than one person. The time required to assemble the number of people needed to perform the transfer results in needless delay and increases the cost of health care. Second, the transfer places localized stress on the patient's body, making a post-operative transfer extremely painful.
Another patient moving procedure commonly performed in hospitals is periodically turning the patient in order to prevent bed sores. The usual procedure for performing this task is for several nurses to grasp the patient and lift. Once again, this task requires more than one person, and it can be extremely painful for the patient.